attenuation

noun

at·​ten·​u·​a·​tion ə-ˌten-yə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce attenuation (audio)
-yü-ˈā-
plural attenuations
: the act or process of attenuating something or the state of being attenuated: such as
a
: a lessening in amount, force, magnitude, or value : weakening
Sound can travel thousands of kilometers in this planar acoustic waveguide with little attenuation.David Ritchie
b
: a reduction of severity or virulence : a decrease in the pathogenicity of a microorganism or in the severity of a disease
This virus grew well in tissue culture, with only limited temperature sensitivity as a marker of possible attenuation.Peter F. Wright
c
: diminution of thickness
The detailing of the doorway, the narrowness and attenuation of the columns of the portico, and most especially the paneling and ornamentation in the interior … bespeak the neoclassical, somewhat similar to the plaster work found in Baltimore interiors.Jessie Poesch

Examples of attenuation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And there are also benefits in terms of overall insertion loss—the attenuation of the signal due to material properties—using a standard packaging substrate instead of a silicon interposer. IEEE Spectrum, 12 Apr. 2019 So, as frequency increased, attenuation also increased. Erica Huang, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024 After light travels the attenuation length through a medium, about 63% of the light is blocked. Malcolm MacIver, Discover Magazine, 15 Mar. 2011 So as the frequency increased, the attenuation decreased. Erica Huang, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024 Sound is muffled when passing through the skull, and the outgoing and return attenuations make a fully noninvasive ultrasound recording system untenable. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Nov. 2023 Still, according to Hatfield, Boston Properties could benefit from a boom in demand for office space from AI developers, future interest rate cuts, and the attenuation of the WFH trend. Will Daniel, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023 This tendency for a Giacometti-like attenuation was also seen at Alaïa, in the form of the must-have high-rise pant. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2023 The regulations also include several requirements for noise attenuation. Stacy Ryburn, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attenuation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of attenuation was in 1559

Dictionary Entries Near attenuation

Cite this Entry

“Attenuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attenuation. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

attenuation

noun
at·​ten·​u·​a·​tion ə-ˌten-yə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce attenuation (audio)
: a decrease in the pathogenicity or vitality of a microorganism or in the severity of a disease

Legal Definition

attenuation

noun
at·​ten·​u·​a·​tion ə-ˌten-yu̇-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce attenuation (audio)
: a lessening of the amount, force, or magnitude of something
specifically : a weakening of the connection between an illegal police procedure and the evidence obtained by it such that the evidence is admissible at trial as an exception to the exclusionary rule
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!